Masonry cutter



Jan. 10, 1967 M28. ICRAWFORD 3,297,015

MASONRY CUTTER Filed March 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MARVIN S. CRAWFORD FIG. 1.

" ATTORNEYS M. S. CRAWFORD MASONRY CUTTER Jan. 10, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 30, 1964 FIG. 3.

FIG. 4.

INVENTOR ARVIN SCRAWFORD.

FIG. 2.

ATTORN EYS United States Patent 3,297,915 MASDNRY CUTTER Marvin S. Crawford, Boulder, Colo., assignor of one-half to Delbert R. Long, Boulder, Colo. Filed Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,725 4 Claims. (Cl. 125-23) This invention relates to masonry tools and, more specifically, to a brick cutter.

Masons, in their daily work, have frequent occasion to cut or otherwise trim brick and stone to a reduced size and this operation is customarily performed with the bladed end of a brick hammer. While this procedure is satisfactory in many instances, it is slow and oftentimes results in an uneven and unsightly cut. Brick and stone saws can also be used, however, they are even slower and the planar face produced thereby is seldom necessary for either aesthetic or structural reasons. Accordingly, several attempts have been made in the past to reach a practical compromise bet-ween the brick hammer and masonry saw as a means for producing a relatively straight accurate cut with a minimum of time and elfort. To date, none of these prior art tools and machines have been widely adopted by the trade.

There appear to be several reasons why the earlier brick cutting machines have failed to answer the needs of the industry, perhaps the major one being their cost. Some of these devices employ complicated and expensive hydraulic rams, motor-driven shears and similar cutter mechanisms that render them much too costly for use in ordinary masonry construction although they have their place in certain specialized applications where a premium can be charged for the work. These same machines are usually too bulky and heavy to be moved around easily thus further reducing their practicability for the individual mason who must have such a device at his side at all times if he is to make eiiicient use thereof.

Most of the remaining devices of this nature employ a slow and deliberate crusher-type cutting action that necessitates a great deal of power and also is likely to produce a poor cut due to the variations in density, hardness and stratification of the material being cut. The necessary result of such machines is the loss of considerable material through waste caused by imperfect cuts. Also, the latter class of machines often sutfer from the same shortcomings of those previously mentioned, namely, excessive cost, bulkiness and complexity.

It has now been found in accordance with the teaching of the instant invent-ion that these and other problems can be satisfactorily solved by means of a simple, lightweight hand-operated brick-cutter that uses an impact cutting action much like a guillotine. The blades however, do not have an inclined edge as does the abovementioned French execution device, but rather, aligned parallel edges that strike the surface of the material being out along opposite faces simultaneously with a fracturing action instead of a slicing one. The weight of the movable blade and associated supporting structure is such that a free fall of several inches is all that is required to produce a sharp accurate cut in all but the hardest materials. When a greater impact is needed than that provided by the free fall of the blade, considerable additional force can be imparted by using the hand to thrust the blade down upon the brick or stone.

The unit is rugged yet light enough to be carried along by the mason as his work proceeds. Most important however, the unit is simple and inexpensive enough for each mason to have his own. As for speed of operation, a single blow is all that is needed to accomplish the cut and this can be done in an instant.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved brick-cutting machine.

A second objective is the provision of a device of the type aforementioned that utilizes a guillotine-like impact cutting action that is effective to produce a straight clean out along the line intended without resorting to powered blades.

Another object is to provide a brick and stone cutter that employs a free-falling blade as the cutter mechanism.

Still another objective of the invention. herein claimed is the provision of a masonry-cutting device that is completely portable.

An additional object is to produce a device for cutting both natural and man-made building materials such as brick and stone.

Further objects are to provide a brick and stone-cutting device that is simple to make, easy to use, versatile, inexpensive, rugged, requires little service, and is decorative in appearance.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out specifically hereinafter in connection with the description of the drawings that follow, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the brick-cutter of the present invention with portions thereof broken away to better reveal the interior construction;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken along line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken along line 33 of FIG- URE 1, portions having been broken away to conserve space; and,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken along line d-4 of FIGURE 1 with portions broken away to conserve space.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of the present invention and, initially, to FIGURES l and 2 for this purpose, it will be seen that the brickcutter includes a base ill having a pair of upright guide posts 12 projecting vertically therefrom in spaced parallel relation to one another with a stationary blade asembly 14 fastened therebetween and a movable blade assembly 16 mounted thereon for vertical reciprocating motion. The base 10 may take any one of several forms but in the particular one shown it comprises a short section of a large channel iron resting on its flanges 18 which become legs while the web 20 serves as the horizontal supporting surface. Welded to the upper surface of the web 2% adjacent the side edges thereof are a pair of upstanding collars 22 that provide sockets into which the lower extremities of the posts 12 are fastened.

The stationary blade assembly 14 spans the distance separating the posts 12 and said assembly includes a pair of heavy angle iron sections 24 that have their horizontal flanges 26 welded or otherwise permanently fastened to the base it) while the vertical flanges 28 thereof are disposed in face-to-face spaced parallel relation to one another so as to define a blade-receiving recess 30 therebetween. The bottom of this recess carries a spacer 32 that rests on the base and the stationary blade 34 sits atop the spacer as seen most clearly in FIGURE 2. The blade 34 is apertured as are the vertical flanges 28 of the angle irons 24 to receive fasteners 36 which hold the blade in place and also mount the table assembly 38 for vertically adjustable movement.

The aforementioned table assembly 38 can best be seen in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 to which reference will now be made. A face plate 4i having a pair of vertically-extending downwardly-opening slots 42 spaced apart to receive the shanks of fasteners 36 is mounted on the outside of the vertical flange 28 of one of the angle irons so that it can be adjusted up and down as well as tilted to the extent necessary to align the supporting surface 44 of the tray assembly with the upper sharpened edge 45 of stationary blade 34 as seen in FIGURE 2.

Projecting outward horizontally from this face plate are a pair of small angle irons 46 arranged in spaced substantially parallel relation to one another with their horizontal flanges 48 turned inwardly and the remaining flanges 50 vertical. Spanning the space between the horizontal flanges 48 are transverse ribs 52 that are bolted to the underside of a rubber or otherwise cushioned platform 54 that provides the masonry supporting surface 44. Thus, platform assembly 38 provides the means for supporting the brick or other masonry product to be cut in position resting on the sharpened edge 45 of stationary blade 34 as indicated by broken lines in FIGURE 1, the brick having been given reference numeral 56.

Next with reference to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the movable blade assembly 16 will be described in detail. Mounted on the posts 12 above the collars 22 are a pair of sleeves 58 that slide up and down the posts and are connected by a second pair of large angle iron sections 60 whose vertical flanges 62 lie in face-to-face spaced parallel relation to one another defining a blade-receiving recess 64 therebetween while the horizontal flanges 66 produce ledges upon which the base plate 68 of the handle unit rest-s and to which the latter is fastened. A similar spacer 70 rests in the top of the blade recess against the underside of the handle base plate 68 as shown. The movable blade 72 is secured in edge-to-edge relation against the lower edge of the spacer by bolt fasteners 74 that pass through aligned apertures in said blade and vertical flanges.

Projecting upwardly from the base plate 68 are a pair of transversely-spaced elements 76 that have a cylindrical element 78 connecting the upper extremities thereof to provide a hand-hold for use in raising and lowering the movable blade assembly. The sharpened lower edge 80 of the movable blade 72 is vertically-aligned and parallel to the sharpened edge 45 of the stationary blade so that each contacts opposite parallel faces of the brick 56 to produce co-planar cuts. Heavy compression springs 82 are located on each post between the collars 22 and sleeves 58 to keep the stationary and movable blades from contacting one another.

In actual operation, the material being cut is placed upon the platform with a portion thereof to be removed projecting over and beyond the stationary blade as seen in broken lines in FIGURE 2. The cut is made by lifting the movable blade assembly up to the top of the posts and allowing the latter to drop free with a guillotine-like action. The sharpened blade edges fracture the material along a plane determined by the lines of contact of said blade edges with the opposite plane parallel material surfaces. If necessary, additional force may be applied by ramming the movable blade down on the brick rather than letting it drop free.

One other feature remains to be explained in connection with FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, namely, a pin 84 that passes through registering openings 86 and 88 in one of the sleeve and post assemblies to lock the movable blade assembly in fixed position so that the handle 78 can be used to carry the unit. A chain 90 connects the pin 88 to the collar 22 in a well-known manner.

Having thus described the several useful and novel features of the brick cutter of the present invention it will be apparent that the many worthwhile objectives for which it was developed have been achieved. Although but a single specific embodiment of my invention has been illustrated and described herein, I realize that certain changes and modifications may well occur to those skilled in the art within the broad teaching hereof; hence, it is my intention that the scope of protection afforded 4 hereby shall be limited only insofar as said limitations are expressly set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The masonry cutter which comprises, a base, a pair of track-forming uprights fastened to the base in upstanding spaced parallel relation to oneanother, a stationary blade supported in fixed position on the base and extending upwardly therefrom in the plane defined by the uprights, said stationary blade having the exposed upper edge thereof sharpened, horizontally-disposed vertically adjustable tray means having upstanding side walls and located adjacent the stationary blade on one side thereof adapted to support the material to be cut in overhanging relation to said stationary blade and in position to maintain substantially continuous line contact therewith, a reciprocating frame mounted on the uprights for vertical sliding movement thereon and spanning the space therebetween, a movable blade secured within the reciprocating frame for movement therewith, said movable blade having the lower edge thereof sharpened and exposed to lie in co-planar relation to the sharpened edge of the stationary blade, said frame and movable blade cooperating to provide a cutter assembly that can be raised on the trackforming uprights and allowed to drop free onto the top of the material to be cut with a guillotine-like impact fracturing action, and means comprising at least one compression spring mounted on one of said uprights between the base and reciprocating frame adapted to prevent the movable blade from contacting the fixed blade registering apertures in one of said uprights and said reciprocating frame and latch pin means releasably fitted into said apertures to interconnect the reciprocating frame and said' track-forming uprights to lock the movable blade in fixed position.

2. The masonry cutter as set forth in claim 1 in which, a pair of upstanding collars are fastened to the base in spaced parallel relation, the uprights are cylindrical with their lower ends mounted in the collars, the reciprocating frame includes a pair of sleeves slidably mounted on the uprights, and a compression spring mounted on each upright between the sleeve and collar.

3. The masonry cutter as set forth in claim 1 in which the reciprocating frame comprises a pair of sleeves slidably mounted on the uprights, a pair of plates arranged in spaced parallel relation extending between the sleeves, said plates defining a blade-receiving recess therebetween, and fastener means adapted to secure the movable blade between the plates in the blade-receiving recess.

4. The masonry cutter as set forth in claim 1 in which, an upright plate is fastened to the base extending upwardly therefrom along the same face of the stationary blade upon which the tray means is located, fasteners extend through the plate and into the stationary blade fastening the latter in place, a bracket having downwardly opening slots therein adapted to receive the fasteners is fastened to the plate for vertical adjustment, and the tray means is secured to the bracket for adjustable movement therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,487,595 3/1924 Petermann -23 2,490,989 12/1949 Williams 12523 2,582,694 1/1952 Gundlack 12523 2,653,594 9/1953 Findley 125-23 2,710,608 6/1955 Huber 125-23 3,253,492 5/1966 Petros 83563 X FOREIGN PATENTS 714,817 9/1954 Great Britain. 134,798 3/1952 Sweden.

HAROLD D. WHITEHEAD, Primary Examiner. 

1. THE MASONRY CUTTER WHICH COMPRISES, A BASE, A PAIR OF TRACK-FORMING UPRIGHTS FASTENED TO THE BASE IN UPSTANDING SPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER, A STATIONARY BLADE SUPPORTED IN FIXED POSITION ON THE BASE AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM IN THE PLANE DEFINED BY THE UPRIGHTS, SAID STATIONARY BLADE HAVING THE EXPOSED UPPER EDGE THEREOF SHARPENED, HORIZONTALLY-DISPOSED VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE TRAY MEANS HAVING UPSTANDING SIDE WALLS AND LOCATED ADJACENT THE STATIONARY BLADE ON ONE SIDE THEREOF ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE MATERIAL TO BE CUT IN OVERHANGING RELATION TO SAID STATIONARY BLADE AND IN POSITION TO MAINTAIN SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS LINE CONTACT THEREWITH, A RECIPROCATING FRAME MOUNTED ON THE UPRIGHTS FOR VERTICAL SLIDING MOVEMENT THEREON AND SPANNING THE SPACE THEREBETWEEN, A MOVABLE BLADE SECURED WITHIN THE RECIPROCATING FRAME FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, SAID MOVABLE BLADE HAVING THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF SHARPENED AND EXPOSED TO LIE IN CO-PLANAR RELATION TO THE SHARPENED EDGE OF THE STATIONARY BLADE, SAID FRAME AND MOVABLE BLADE COOPERATING TO PROVIDE A CUTTER ASSEMBLY THAT CAN BE RAISED ON THE TRACKFORMING UPRIGHTS AND ALLOWED TO DROP FREE ONTO THE TOP OF THE MATERIAL TO BE CUT WITH A GUILLOTINE-LIKE IMPACT FRACTURING ACTION, AND MEANS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE COMPRESSION SPRING MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID UPRIGHTS BETWEEN THE BASE AND RECIPROCATING FRAME ADAPTED TO PREVENT THE MOVABLE BLADE FROM CONTACTING THE FIXED BLADE REGISTERING APERTURES IN ONE OF SAID UPRIGHTS AND SAID RECIPROCATING FRAME AND LATCH PIN MEANS RELEASABLY FITTED INTO SAID APERTURES TO INTERCONNECT THE RECIPROCATING FRAME AND SAID TRACK-FORMING UPRIGHTS TO LOCK THE MOVABLE BLADE IN FIXED POSITION. 